Dissanayake leads vote count in Sri Lanka’s presidential election

It is a strong showing for Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AP)

Marxist legislator Anura Kumara Dissanayake is leading Sri Lanka’s presidential election after knocking out the incumbent liberal President Ranil Wickremesinghe from the race, as officials began a second round of vote counting for the first time in the nation’s history.

Mr Dissanayake, whose pro-working class and anti-political elite campaigning made him popular among young people, leads with 39% of the votes counted, followed by opposition leader Sajith Premadasa with 34%, according to tallies released by the Election Commission.